Comments on: Live Free or Die?

By: Parent and Librarian

Parent and Librarian — Mon, 07 Mar 2011 15:42:28 +0000

I’m with you, Disgusted Librarian. I think AL is missing the point on this one. Who does have the right to influence what students are reading in class (on the taxpayers’ dime), if not the parents? I honestly question the particular teacher who thought this book was worth ANY instructional time. American students do so poorly when compared globally, and this tendency toward wasting time on crap is part of the reason why.
Maybe the parents should frame this as an academic excellence issue, and then people can stop the ad hominem attacks, and consider the underlying issues.

By: Disgusted Librarian

Disgusted Librarian — Mon, 07 Mar 2011 04:11:04 +0000

I believe that the only reason the book, “Water for Elephants,” has a masturbation scene within it is to disguise the ultimately mediocre quality of the book. What better way to defend poor writing than to include an unnecessary and offensive scene, so that any criticism of the work can be responded to by saying the reader is stupid, can’t handle the reality of today’s world, is a religious fanatic, etc., etc., etc. It’s a trick that untalented artists and the critics and dealers who invent and promote them have been using for years. The truly filthy thing about the above discussion is the anger directed toward an obviously caring and concerned parent. A child has been driven from the public school system. For what? A book of questionable quality, at best. Was it so necessary for this book to be on the school’s reading list? Are there no better books? Of all the books in the world, is this the best the school could come up with? Maybe with fewer books like this in the schools, the “discussions at the lunch room tables” might improve.

By: Banning Breeds Ignorance

Banning Breeds Ignorance — Sun, 27 Feb 2011 23:16:05 +0000

While the language you use in your argument my be strong, nay inflammatory, AL you make a very valid important point. I don’t think the Dennis Taylor’s of the world should be influencing what my kids reads in school. If you object to something being in a classroom, fine, ask for an alternative. Did you do that? DT seems more ready to grab a soap box than he is in negotiating what is best for HIS kid. Do my a favor, Dennis, let me worry about what is right for MY kid. If a teacher or curriculum chooses a book you disagree with, and let me tell you discussions at the lunch room tables are far more graphic than what you read in W.F.E., discuss it with the teacher. I feel like you like to hear yourself talk and frankly, proselytize. I wish BHS would stand up for their students rather than roll over for the fanatics of the world.

By: Techserving You

Techserving You — Sun, 27 Feb 2011 14:01:32 +0000

Spekkio – that law school example is a BAD one. First of all, no matter what you plan to study (law, librarianship) you have the responsibility to research the job market and your prospects of securing gainful employment within a reasonable time after graduation. If you don’t, you can’t really complain about being taken in by the “scam.” I’m not talking about reading information the ALA or the library schools (or ABA or law schools) put out, I’m talking about actually looking at job listings and talking to people in the field.

But, law is not librarianship. There are actually articles about it (and not just about “hip” stereotype- busting tattooed lawyers) in mainstream publications. People know what the legal job market is like. What they think – and trust me, I KNOW, having done a year in law school in a former life – is that THEY will be the one to get the job. Everyone else will struggle, but they will rise above the rest. Yeah, yeah, the job market’s bad, but they’ll do well. Check out the Princeton Review’s law school discussion boards sometime.

There ARE fields in which there are very good job prospects. People could do their research and do a little more work and move into those fields. Law school and library school do have one thing in common. Neither of them have any prerequisite courses. You can major in absolutely anything… you don’t have to major in history or government to go to law school. Yes, most law schools are more difficult to get into than library school, and even those that are initially easy to get into weed out the truly incompetent (and if they make it through, the bar exam will weed them out.) But, library school and law school are both programs to which people can apply when they’re not sure what else to do. The LSAT may be “harder” than the GRE, but it requires no specialized knowledge. Other fields, even “vocational” fields like nursing, require courses like two semesters of Anatomy & Physiology, and Microbio for admission to entry-level masters programs. But these courses are “hard” and most people don’t want to take them.

By: Techserving You

Techserving You — Sun, 27 Feb 2011 13:46:29 +0000

I also have an A.B. and say that I have an A.B. because it’s not a B.A..

My sister went to MIT for undergrad so I know of what I speak about MIT. I am aware that S.B. is a bachelor of science but it is not conferred as a B.S.. Thus, I am suspicious.

By: Barbara's Book Nook

Barbara's Book Nook — Sat, 26 Feb 2011 21:37:55 +0000

The Bible is a fairy tale, sweeties…And, belongs in “Fiction”.

Can I get an Amen???

By: bibliophile

bibliophile — Fri, 25 Feb 2011 21:59:51 +0000

Robert Johnson: I consider the Bible to be filled with literary depravity. Give me a public school any day!

By: Spekkio

Spekkio — Fri, 25 Feb 2011 20:20:46 +0000

Just real quick…I’m with librarian and SK.

“It sucks to be poor. So work hard in school, get a job, have a strong work ethic, get married, stay married, both of you work, don’t do drugs, don’t gamble, don’t spend more than you make, don’t have children while you’re a teenager or single parent, and guess what? Your chance of being poor is slim.”

In case you hadn’t noticed, the American Dream™ is dead. D-E-A-D. You can do EVERYTHING right and still wind up drowning in debt with little or no hope for the future. If you don’t believe me, check out all the blogs about the “law school scam.” We now have tons of people – smart, highly educated – who thought that their hard work and sacrifice would pay off. Not only did it not pay off – many folks are worse off than they were before.

I understand the importance of personal responsibility, but I don’t think you can – or should – discount the importance of external factors and systemic problems. (Oh…and I think the American Dream™ was dead even before the “Great Recession,” by the way.)

By: Lyle Blake Smythers

Lyle Blake Smythers — Fri, 25 Feb 2011 18:53:36 +0000

Randal has a point. My undergrad degree is an A.B. in English from the College of William and Mary, but I tell people it is a B.A. because otherwise they don’t know what I’m talking about and think it’s something arcane or made-up.

Lyle Blake Smythers

By: Randal Powell

Randal Powell — Fri, 25 Feb 2011 01:07:57 +0000

Techserving You,

Sal’s bio is pulled directly from the site,
http://www.khanacademy.org/about#GEL

B.S. and S.B. are the same, he probably just used B.S. so as not to confuse people.